The Akwa Ibom State government has said that 499 landowners have received compensation from the ongoing World Bank Assisted flood control project along Ibrahim Babangida Way in Uyo, the state capital.
Speaking to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Charles Udoh said the second phase of the compensation would be paid to the landowners affected by the project next week.
Although the Commissioner did not mention the amount paid to the landlords, he disclosed that compensation for the entire project to landowners would gulp N2b only.
He said money spent by both World Bank and the state government could not be equated to the suffering of the people in the past years as the area was the centre of flood in Uyo metropolis causing nightmares for residents and motorists.
Udoh explained that the 8.4km drainage project would be completed before the rainy season as excavation and casting have been completed in some portions of the project. He said the drainage project was awarded to China Roads and Bridges Corporation after an international bidding process in May last year for 19 months completion period with the World Bank providing N12b while the state government provides N2b as counterpart funds for the payment of compensation.
He said the project would serve as the major link for other flood control drains to check most flood problems in Uyo and the environs.
“The project spans over 8.4km stretch and is designed to carry floodwaters from IBB Avenue to Ibesikpo cutting across 17 communities excluding the four communities that host the construction yard. The 17 communities cut across Uyo, Nsit Ibom and Ibesikpo Asutan LGAs and the project is the biggest NEWMAP project in Nigeria today.
“So it’s like building a river and so because of the depth we are going to cover the drains in built-up areas to avoid casualties while the less built-up areas will have perimetre fences on both sides of the drain and a service road to ensure that people can patrol and conduct checks and service the drains when the need arises.
“We are also aware that some natural sources of water would be destroyed by the project and so we are providing remediation measures by providing boreholes for such places and communities whose natural source of drinking water will be affected. We are also building bridges in communities that could be cut into two by the drains,” he explained.
Udoh disclosed that new technology is being deployed to ensure that the drainage would not hamper the continuous existence or damage its outfall, a stream in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Council which already accommodates two other major drainage outfalls from Uyo.
“We are using a new drainage termination technology called Gebion and Reno Mattresses used to terminate drains before you get to where you plant specific grasses to allow natural sedimentation.
“We are going to have that so that before the water gets near its outfall the water will be at crawling speed so there won’t be any devastation. So beyond the Gebion and Reno Mattresses, we will have natural grasses planted and over a period will become a tourist centre like we already have at Dominic Utuks Avenue in Uyo,” he said.
